Endless-chain motor



s. ORIOKA.

ENDLESS CHAIN Mownz. APPLICATIONTILED SEPT-4. 1920.

640mm 0670/67 TOR.

ATTORNEi I Patented Al 1g. 29,192.; I

S. ORIOKA. ENDLESS CHAIN MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-4, 1920'.

. Y. %2 m M T. N R 9,m m m m. N Am 4. M M m m 0 A Y M B p M s v 4 m 5 w M s 4 1 m i W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SADAMA ORIOKA, 0F PALAMA, HONOLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

ENDLESS-CHAIN MOTOR.

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known thatI, SADAMA ORIOKA, a sub ject of the Emperor of Japan, residing at Palama, Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Endless-Chain Motors, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to an electric power plant and has for its principal object the production of simple and eflicient means whereby the ordinary waterfalls may be utilized for running a dynamo so as to generate electricity for numerous desirable usages. 4 i

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient chain mechanism having a plurality of paddles thereon upon which the falling water acts for the purpose of rotating a shaft which is connected to a dynamo in any desirable manner.

Another object of the invention is the production of a casing which will allow the paddles which are inoperative to pass upwardly with the least possible friction and thus greatly add to the efficiency of the device.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve upon power plants of this character by roviding a device which will be of extreme y simple, durable and inexpensive construction, one of which is efficient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

VVith these and numerous other objects in View, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of the plant fully assembled.

Figure 2 is a Vertical section taken through the housing for the dynamo,

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken through the chain casing,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of one pair of paddles showing the chain in section, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 4.

By referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals it will be seen that 1 designates a house of any conventional construction which may contain transformers or other electrical devices which may be found Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 29, 1922 Application filed September 4, 1920. Serial No. 408,259.

necessary for practical purposes. Leading from the house 1 is the concrete foundation 2 which leads over to the falls 3. Intermediate the ends of the concrete foundation there is situated the dynamo housing 4 which comprises a substantially square body portion which is open at its top and is closed by means of the lid 5. The lower portion of this housing 4 tapers as shown at 6 and a pipe 7 leads therefrom to the house 1 so that any water or oil which may collect in the bottom of this tapered portion 6 may be pumped into the house or wherever may be housing 4 so as to support the dynamo 9 which may be of any conventional construction and is provided with the shaft 10 upon which is keyed the gear wheel 11 which is in mesh with. the gear wheel 12 keyed to the shaft 13. It will also be noted that an air pipe 14 leads from the dynamo house 1 and conduits 15 are also provided through which pass the electrical wires 16 leading from the dynamo.

A casing 17 is hung over the falls 3 by means of a chain 18 which may be supported in any suitable mannerand this casing 17 consists of the short arm 19 and the relatively long arm 20. The shaft 13 leads into the body portion of the casing 17 and desired. A floor 8 is provided within the I has mounted thereon the cog wheel 21 which to Figure l of the drawing it will be seen that a concrete foundation 23 is built at the lower end of the falls and upon this platform 23 are mounted the guides 24 which have their upper ends flared outwardly as is shown at 25. Mounted between the guides 24 is the roller 26 having the teeth 27 for engaging the links of the chain 22.

By referring especially to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing it will be seen that paddles 28 are carried by the chain 22. This chain 22 is provided at spaced intervals with the spaced apart cars 29 to which are attached the hinges 30. To one leaf of these hinges 30 the paddles 28 are attached in any suitable manner.

The operation of the device is very simple in view of the fact that the falling waters will engage the paddles and open them and thus force the chain around the wheel 21 and rolier 26. As the paddles approach the guides 2 lthey will engage the flared portions and gradually take a folded position and will retain this folded position upon their upward travel because of the force of the water and also theforce of gravitation and it will be noted that as soon as the paddles reach the long arm 20 which may be of any suitable length this friction of the falling water will not have any retarding effect whatsoever, upon the paddles thus allowing this chain mechanismto rotate the shaft 13 with considerable more speed. Of course the shaft 13 will rotate the gear wheel 12 which in turn will rotate the gear wheel 11 so as to operate the dynamo 9 in a well known manner. The electricity thus generated, of course, may be used for any desirable purpose.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, the construction and operation of this electric power plant will be readily understood without a more extended explanation. vAs

- numerous changes in form, proportion, and

in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, I do not wish to be limited to the construction herein shown and described other than as claimed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

- 1. A' device of the class described comprising a casing, a cog wheel in said casing, a chain'trained over said cog wheel, hinged paddles, secured on said chain, a pair of spaced guides mounted below the casing, a cog wheel journalled between said guides and adapted to have said chain trained thereover, said guides provided with curved ends diverging from each other'at their upper ends for closing the hinged paddles as they pass therebetween in the manner and for the purpose specified.

- 2. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a cog wheel in said casing, a chain passing over said'cog wheel, hinged paddles on said chain, a platform positioned below said casing, a pair of spaced guides.

situated vertically on said platform and having their upper ends flared from each other, and a cog wheel mounted between said guides and adapted to have said chain trained thereover.

In testimonyrwhereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SADAMA ORI OKA. WVitnesses RAY J. OBmnN, BEN F. VIoKnRs. 

